These Southern Barbecue Baked Beans baked beans are an easy, classic, Southern side dish. This simple preparation is a throwback to how my Grandmother’s prepared their baked beans with a few twists. Perfectly seasoned and flavored with bacon these beefy beans are practically a meal in themselves. The ideal side dish for barbecue, family cookouts or picnics with friends.
Bacon flavors these beans beautifully, naturally. The bacon may be added to the beans prior to baking or you can lay the raw bacon strips on top before baking. The bacon strips placed on top of the beans is how my Mom and Gramma’s made them for every family and church potluck I ever attended.The purpose of bacon is always to add smoke and a kicked-up layer of flavor. Either way you choose to use it, bacon is a must! You’ll likely find some version of baked beans at any Summer cookout or barbecue but, at our house, it’s an anytime dish. These beefy baked beans could be served as a meal in itself, when served over a hot buttered corn bread or corn muffins…now that’s some Southern love!
You may also like: Crock Pot Bacon Baked Beans, Bourbon Maple Slow Cooker Baked Beans and Calico Bean Bake.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Southern Barbecue Baked Beans
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium green pepper finely diced
- 1 medium sweet onion finely diced
- olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- seasoned salt & black pepper
- 2 [28 oz] cans hickory flavored baked beans
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 [10 oz] can chili seasoned tomatoes [such as Rotel Chili Fixin's]
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp whole grain mustard
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp barbecue seasoning [such as Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple or Barbecue Magic]
- 8 slices center cut bacon cooked and crumbled or 8 slices to lay on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add a couple of drizzles of olive oil to a 12-inch cast iron skillet or similar. or if cooking the bacon use the pan drippings.
- Saute the diced green pepper, onion and ground beef until no pink remains in the beef. Season with seasoned salt and black pepper to your taste. After browning, drain any excess fat from the pan before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix in the baked beans, barbecue sauce, chili style tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, whole grain mustard and barbecue seasoning. Stiir until the ingredients are well blended. [This is the point you would add cooked and crumbled bacon, if you like.]
- Place into the oven and bake for 60-75 minuites.
- Stir well, and allow the baked beans to rest for 5-10 minutes on the counter before serving to allow the sauce to thicken.
Didi says
Melissa, I do my beans almost exactly the same way with adding the ground beef. My seasonings are a tad different and I don’t do the bbq sauce, but what an astounding addition?? I so have to do this, it’s almost identical. My hubby (major baked bean lover), and youngest dd thank you in advance!!!
Melissa says
Didi, my family wouldn’t know what to do with baked beans with no meat? 🙂 I also, cook and crumble the bacon and stir it into the beans as often as I put it on top. This method is paying homage to the great cooks before me. Enjoy!! 🙂
muddledmom says
This is nearly a meal in itself! Looks great, Melissa!
Melissa says
Thank you Karen, indeed it is! It’s delicious served over a sweet buttered corn muffin! 🙂
Paula Griffin says
Looks like I may have found my recipe for the church picnic. I make one similar to this but think I will have to try this one (maybe altered just a little – green peppers are not one of my favorites) :)Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
Hi Paula! Do you think you’d prefer a sweet red pepper instead? No worries, they’re delicious with or without the pepper. Enjoy the picnic, blessings! Melissa
Anonymous says
I`ve been cooking baked beans for a long time and I`ve never thought of put beef nor the tomatoes in my bean`s I`ll have to try this soon
Melissa says
Hello! When you get a chance to try it, I hope you like them. ☺
Courtney says
I’m currently down an oven. Do you think it would work as well if I cooked up the hamburger mixture, cooked and crumbled bacon and put everything into my crock on low for maybe, 4hrs? I love your page! So many great recipes!
Melissa says
Hi Courtney, thanks for you sweet comment. I think this would do perfectly in the slow cooker, just as you describe, cooking the bacon and beef and mixing it into the beans. It may not take 4 hours, just keep a watch on it. Happy slow cooking!
Tanya Le Clair says
World’s Greatest Beans – I tossed my old BBQ bean recipe. I can’t tell you how many rave reviews I received, a definite keeper!!!
Melissa says
Tanya, what a sweet note! I’m thrilled you loved these beans as much as we do. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know.
Christine T. says
Absolutely divine! I made these beans on a rainy day and it was fit for a king. My husband that is! My husband is a picky eater and he enjoyed this recipe. I am going to make it for Mother’s Day along with some cornbread. Keeping the day simple. Thanks for the recipe, I am keeping this in my archive to use often.
Melissa says
How wonderful, thanks so much for letting me know!
Dick says
I’ve been doing this for years up here in CT, but without the cornbread (Yankees hate cornbread, LOL), with ground cayenne pepper and Adobe seasoning to zing it up a bit and served with some chopped raw onions on top. I call it New England Chili.